1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the generation of power, and more particularly, to the generation of power using a keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of modern civilization is driven in part by the development of electricity. One innovation driven by the availability of electricity is the ubiquitous computer. The rapid acceptance of computer technology by corporations as well as consumers has led to the widespread use of computers. Further driving this process is the continual reduction in size and cost of personal computers.
Originally, personal computers were large items best suited for floor standing or desktop use. Eventually, they became smaller so that desktop use became the standard. Improvements in processor, memory and data storage capabilities have resulted in light weight, powerful mobile computers such as portables, luggables, laptops, notebooks, palm top and personal digital assistants. These computers can provide sufficient processing capability for audio visual applications, such as computer aided design, three dimensional animation, and multimedia presentation, even when used at remote locations.
As the use of personal computers increased, so did the desire to use computers remotely to support and increase the efficiency of mobile users. However, a continuing limiting factor has been battery life. Battery life is limited both due to limitations in battery technology as well as the power consumption levels required in a high performance notebook computer.
Although the battery can be recharged by tapping into the AC power line, such requirement restricts the mobility of the user. Further, any extension of battery life is desirable. So additional power sources provide incremental benefit: solar power cells, for example, can extend battery life, but additional power sources could even further extend the battery life. Thus, a need exists for a power generation system that can be embedded within the notebook computer in order to extend the operating period per battery recharge operation.